Developed by Torn Banner Studios and published by Tripwire Presents, Chivalry 2 is a multiplayer first person tactical slasher inspired by epic medieval warfare. Having played Chivalry 1 in the past, I was looking forward to Torn Banner's sequel to the beloved title. That said, was it worth the wait or a steaming pile of excrement to throw at your enemies? Let's discuss.
Presentation wise, Torn Banner nails the aesthetics of an epic battlefield. Featuring enough detail to immerse you, while having it's battlefields feeling vast, Chivalry 2 does a great job of making you feel the part of being a knight. On top of that, it's sound effects and sound track are great as well, further selling the whole experience.
Gameplay is why you're here though and Chivalry 2 delivers in spades. Featuring multiple game modes, such as 64 player conquests, 3v3 arenas, mounted combat and more, you'll have plenty of variety to delve into. Unfortunately, some modes like the mounted combat one are fairly dead, but at least the option is there if you're willing to wait in queue. Additionally, there are 15 maps that you'll cycle through, ensuring repetition is never an issue. Each of the maps have their own distinctive look and visual storytelling too, further selling the whole experience.
While you're in those maps, you'll be utilizing one of the 4 classes and 12 subclasses. Each contain their own selection of weapons, perks, and abilities, allowing for plenty of playstyle variety. During my multiple sessions playing the game, I normally would ride with a sword and board style of play, but sometimes I swapped to a spear or longsword to mix it up a bit. In these types of games, I never enjoyed playing an Archer despite liking that type of class in other genres, it just feels too vulnerable. One minute you're nocking arrows, the next you're head is lying on the floor, it's a tough life.
What's also tough is the learning curve of Chivalry 2's combat. While it's simple to learn, it's skill ceiling is quite high. I'd personally say I'm an above average player, as I normally end up there on the scoreboard, but even I struggle sometimes with the numerous mechanics at play. You have slashing, stabbing, overhead slash, kicking, bumping, blocking, parrying, fainting, countering, ripostes, throwing, shooting, abilities, alternative directionals, and the list goes on. The combat system on the surface feels a bit arcadey, but once you delve deeper, you'll find that it's incredibly complex. Due to that, some may feel like certain players are brick walls and become discouraged, especially without a ranked mode in arenas for example. Touching on arenas a bit more, there's a lack of a duos and elimination mode which is disappointing.
If arenas aren't your style, you can find a lot of fun in the 64 and 40 player mixed modes, which contain conquest style objectives. These objectives contain activities like breaking down a gate, pushing supply carts, plundering treasure, killing Dukes, and more. Each map has it's own self contained story and the objectives do a good job of once again, selling the experience. On top of that, there's a custom server browser where people do large scale 1v1s, free for alls, and more.
To top off our discussion of the gameplay, I would be remised to skip out on elaborating on the throwing and gore mechanics at play. You see, in Chivalry 2, you can pickup and throw almost anything you could IRL. By hitting targets with one of the many throwables that even includes silly things like chickens, you can kill your target. This creates fun moments throughout the course of play, like throwing your sword at a target running from you and seeing it stick out of their back as they fall to the ground. The gore adds to the whole experience as well, especially considering there's dismemberment. When you land an attack on the enemy, it's possible to chop of limbs, including their head. This creates interesting scenarios where your arm could get chopped off and you're left vulnerable, usually resulting in your head leaving your body as well. The gore system especially does a good job of selling the experience as a whole, it's like one bloody bowtie on a Christmas present made of limbs.
Overall, Torn Banner did a fantastic job of selling the experience of being a knight in epic medieval warfare. In every aspect of the game, they nailed the immersion factor, allowing you to become engrossed while becoming a legend on the battlefield. With multiple modes and classes to choose from, there's a lot of variety to keep you coming back for more. If you love medieval warfare, Chivalry 2 is an incredibly compelling option.
Rating: 8.8/10
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